May 05, 2025

811: Investigating Clams with Photosynthetic Algae, Parasites in Mud Shrimp, and Other Species Interactions that Shape Evolution - Dr. Jingchun Li

42 minutes

Dr. Jingchun Li is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and she is the Curator of Invertebrates at CU Boulder’s Museum of Natural History. She is also a Packard Foundation Fellow and a National Geographic Explorer. Jingchun studies how different species interact with each other and how that has influenced their evolution. Her work focuses mostly on mollusks like clams, scallops, cockles, snails, octopus, and squid. For example, she has recently been examining giant clams that use symbiotic algae to become photosynthetic. As a museum curator, Jingchuin manages the museum’s collection of nearly one million invertebrates. She is responsible for developing the collection, good stewardship, documenting relevant details about each specimen, and making specimens available to scientists and the public. Some of Jingchun’s hobbies include rock climbing at a local gym with her lab members, spending time with her kids, watching musicals, reading, and playing board games like Setters of Catan. Jingchun completed her B.S. in Biological Sciences at Capital Normal University in China and was awarded her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan. Next, Jingchun conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard University with support from an NSF Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. Afterwards, she joined the faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder. In our interview, Jingchun shares insights and stories from her life and science.

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